Solvent absorbent method and product application

ABSTRACT

A METHOD FOR REMOVING SPOTS AND OTHER SIMILAR DIRT AND STAINS FROM FABRICS AND OTHER MATERIALS AND A DIRT AND STAIN REMOVER WHEREBY A SOLVENT AND ADSORBENT SUCH AS A CHALKY POWDER ARE APPLIED INDEPENDENTLY INSTEAD OF IN COMBINATION TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CLEANER IN COMPARISON WITH PRODUCTS WHICH APPLY THE SOLVENT AND ADSORBENT IN COMBINATION. THE PREFERRED WAY OF CARRYING OUT THIS METHOD IS BY TWO SEPARATE AEROSOL, ROLL-ON OR OTHER SIMILAR CONTAINERS-ONE CONTAINING A DETERGENT SOLVENT AND THE OTHER AN ADSORBENT POWDER, PREFERABLY MIXED WITH ENZYME CRYSTALS. ONE PRODUCT FOR CARRYING OUT THIS SEPARATE APPLICATION IS A DISPOSABLE PAPER HAND MITT DESIGNED TO BE USED ONLY ONCE AND HAVING MICROCAPSULES CONTAINING A SOLVENT WHICH MAY BE COMBINED WITH LIQUID DETERGENT LODGED IN ONE SIDE THEREOF SO THAT WHEN THAT SIDE IS RUBBED ON A STAINED OR DIRTY FABRIC, THE MICROACAPSULES RUPTURE AND THE SOLVENT FLOWS INTO THE FABRIC OR OTHER MATERIAL AND MOBILIZES THE DIRT OR OTHER STAINS. AFTER THE MICROCAPSULES ARE APPLIED, THE MITT CAN BE SIMPLY REVERSED ON THE HAND, AND THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH PREFERABLY CONTAINS AN ADSORBENT MATERIAL, SUCH AS LOOSE PARTICLES OF CHALK MIXED WITH CRYSTALS OF CLEANING ENZYMES, APPLIED TO THE DIRT OR STAIN SO THAT THE SOLVENT, AS WELL AS THE DIRT OR STAIN MOBILIZED BY IT, ARE ATTRACTED TO THE ADSORBENT FOR EASY REMOVAL OR BOTH, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE ENZYMES ASSIST IN REMOVING THE SPOT.

H. MILLER Aug. 22, 1972 SOLVENT ABSORBENT METHOD AND PRODUCT APPLICATIONFiled Oct. 24, L969 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent once3,686,125 Patented Aug. 22, 1972 3,686,125 SOLVENT ABSORBENT METHOD ANDPRODUCT APPLICATION Hobson Miller, New York, N.Y., assignor to UnitedStates Banknote Corporation, New York, N.Y. Filed Oct. 24, 1969, Ser.No. 869,298 Int. Cl. Clld 17/04 U.S. Cl. 25290 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A method for removing spots and other similar dirt and stainsfrom fabrics and other materials and a dirt and stain remover whereby asolvent and adsorbent such as a chalky powder are applied independentlyinstead of in combination to increase the effectiveness of the cleanerin comparison with products which apply the solvent and adsorbent incombination. The preferred way of carrying out this method is by twoseparate aerosol, roll-on or other similar containers-one containing adetergent solvent and the other an adsorbent powder, preferably mixedwith enzyme crystals. One product for carrying out this separateapplication is a disposable paper hand mitt designed to be used onlyonce and having microcapsules containing a solvent which may be combinedwith liquid detergent lodged in one side thereof so that when that sideis rubbed on a stained or dirty fabric, the microcapsules rupture andthe solvent flows into the fabric or other material and mobilizes thedirt or other stains. After the microcapsules are applied, the mitt canbe simply reversed on the hand, and the other side, which preferablycontains an adsorbent material, such as loose particles of chalk mixedwith crystals of cleaning enzymes, applied to the dirt or stain so thatthe solvent, as well as the dirt or stain mobilized by it, are attractedto the adsorbent for easy removal of both, and at the same time theenzymes assist in removing the spot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR .ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates to a method and product for removing dirt, stains andthe like from materials such as fabrics.

Removing dirt and stains from materials such as fabrics has always beena diflicult and tedious chore, and the energies of many people have foryears been focused on many attempts to make dirt and stain removaleasier. Soap, which has been known and used successfully for manycenturies, functions by chemically providing a bridges between oilysubstances, which keep the dirt lodged in the fabric, and water, so thatthe dirt and oil can be transferred from the material to wash waterwhich can then be discarded. However, soap has a number of drawbacksincluding an inability to remove many kinds of stains and similarsoiling elements from fabrics, and the necessity for water, whichprecludes use with many materials which cannot be immersed in waterwithout damage. Synthetic detergents and enzyme active detergents, whilecapable of removing many more stains than soap and generally moreefi'ective in washing, have been generally used with water also.

To remove stains and dirt from fabrics and other materials which cannotbe immersed in water, many different spot removers have been developedand successfully employed. Most of these spot removers employ incombination a solvent and an adsorbent material, such as chalky powder.When this mixture is applied to the stained portion of the fabric, forexample, as a spray, the solvent mobilizes the stain or spot while themobilized dirt and the solvent are at the same time attracted to theadsorbent for simple removal, for example, simply by manually brushingaway the adsorbent, mobilized dirt and solvent.

However, it has been discovered that the use of solvents and adsorbentstogether as a mixture in spot removers and similar products is notnearly as effective as sequential and separate application of thesolvent and adsorbent. If the solvent is first applied to the spot andpermitted to work before the adsorbent is applied, more effective andmore satisfactory removal of spots and stains results. It is not knownprecisely why separate application results in such striking improvementsin the effectiveness of spot removal, but it is believed that when thetwo materials are employed in combination, the adsorbent may prematurelyattract the solvent before it has had an opportunity to fully mobilizethe spot.

While a variety of ways of carrying out this technique of separately andsequentially applying a solvent and adsorbent for more effective spotand dirt removal can be employed, the preferred technique issequentially applying the liquid solvent and then the adsorbent materialto the spot from separate applicators, such as aerosol cans, roll-oncans, dab-o-matic cans or any other suitable cans. One product forapplying the solvent and adsorbent is a paper disposable mitt havingmicrocapsules of a solvent, which may include a liquid detergent,embedded or lodged on one side of the mitt so that when this side isapplied to the soiled material and rubbed, the microcapsules rupture tocause the solvent to flow into and mobilize the spot. On the other sideof the mitt, adsorbent material, which may be combined With enzymecrystals, is likewise lodged within the paper, for example, covered by athin membrane or sheet so that after the solvent has been applied andhas had an opportunity to mobilize the spot, the other side of the mittwith the adsorbent material and enzymes is likewise rubbed on the spotto cause the adsorbent, which may be in the form of chalk or anothersimilar powder, to adsorb the solvent and the mobilized dirt particles,while the enzymes thus applied help mobilize the spot. The resultantresidue can then be easily brushed away in the same manner asconventional spot removers. In particular, the enzyme or enzymes appliedwith the adsorbent chemically break down a great variety of complexmaterials making up spots and stains, rather than simply affording abridge to the water as do conventional soaps and synthetic detergents,and accordingly, are particularly eifective and useful in the spotremoval.

Further, applying the solvent and adsorbent material separately permitsthe use of enzymes in cleaning spots. Such enzymes, which are usuallyformed as crystals, normally cannot be successfully maintained for anylength of time in a liquid solvent or in a mixture of solvent andadsorbent such as used in conventional spot removers. However, theenzyme crystals can be maintained in an adsorbent material so that inthe two step method discussed above, enzymes can play an important andeffective role in removing the spot.

Many other objects and purposes of the invention will become clear fromthe following detailed description of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a front view of adisposable paper spot remover mitt having microcapsules containingsolvent incorporated on the front thereof.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the mitt of FIG. 1 with an adsorbentassociated with rear portion thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the mitt in FIG. 2 along the line 33.

3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to FIGS. 1,2 and 3 which show respectively a front, rear and sectional view of athin disposable paper mitt which has been shown to be particularlyeffective in removing spots and stains from materials such as fabrics.As discussed briefly above, it has been discovered that, when a solventis first applied to cause mobilization of a stain or spot, andafterwards adsorbent material is separately applied to cause the solventand mobilized spot to be drawn to the adsorbent for easy removal, theresultant cleaning is much more satisfactory and effective than if theadsorbent and solvent had been applied as a mixture, particularly whenenzyme crystals are mixed with the adsorbent powder.

In the arrangement of FIG. 1 this discovery is embodied in a productwherein microcapsules containing solvent, preferably mixed with a liquiddetergent, are disposed on one side of a paper mitt having an openingfor receiving a hand and particles of adsorbent, preferably mixed withenzyme crystals, are disposed on the other side. As shown in FIG. 1, theliquid solvent-detergent mixture is preferably contained inmicrocapsules in the region 22 on the front of the mitt 24. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the microcapsules are dispersed withinthe fibers of the paper, but if desirable, the microcapsules can be heldin place by any suitable means such as a thin sheet of paper or asuitable membrane. Techniques for encapsulating liquid material inmicrocapsules are well known and reference generally is made to thefollowing US. patents which relate to various encapsulation techniques:2,800,457; 2,800,458; 2,971,916; 3,041,288; 3,116,206; 3,179,600;3,205,175; and 3,265,630.

While in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the microcapsules occupy only arelatively small area on the front of the mitt, it will be understoodthat the capsules can be distributed over the front of the mitt andvaried in number as necessary for cleaning. Further, the mitt can bemade in any suitable size for removing any particular size of stain.However, since most spots on clothes and the like tend to be relativelysmall in area, a product such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, wherein themitt is just large enough to admit a hand, and the capsules are confinedto a limited portion of the mitt will normally be satisfactory forconsumer use.

While normally tough enough to resist rupture during manufacture andordinary handling, the capsules readily rupture when the front of themitt 24 is rubbed across the stain and the liquid solvent-detergentmixture thus freed flows and is worked into the spot to mobilize it.After the solvent is applied, the mitt 24 is preferably reversed on thehand and the other side, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is applied to theregion of the spot so that the adsorbent material and the enzymecrystals which together comprise material 26 are next worked into thestain. In the embodiment shown FIG. 2, the adsorbent is simply a chalkypowder of the type which is well known and conventionally used in spotremovers. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the combined chalky powder andenzyme crystals are covered by a thin paper cover or similar membrane 28which is attached to mitt 24 and which prevents loss of the materialduring manufacture and handling. When the rear side of the mitt 24 isrubbed across the stain, however, the thin cover or membrane 28 breaksor is otherwise removed and the chalky powder, like the solvent beforeit, Works its way into the stain, adsorbing both the solvent and themobilized stain. At the same time, the enzymes applied with theadsorbent assist in mobilizing the stain. When the stain has beencompletely mobilized, the resulting residue can simply be brushed awayfrom the fabric, carrying the stain with it. -It is, of course, possibleto apply the adsorbent with the back of the hand, or the mitt may bereversed on the hand after the solvent is applied.

Moreover, it is preferred but not ncessary that the mitt shown in FIGS.1 and 2 be constructed of paper and be completely disposable so that,after a single application, it is discarded. Paper, because of itsstrength and inexpensiveness, is especially suitable, although othermaterials can be alternatively employed.

LAS mentioned briefly above, the preferred techniques of carrying outthe separate application of solvent and adsorbent is by the use ofseparate applicators such as two aerosol cans, one having solvent andthe other an adsorbent and enzymes. Of course, with such applicators,the solvent would not normally be encapsulated as in the mitt describedabove. Many other changes and modifications in the above describedmethod and product can be made without departing from the scope of theinvention, and that scope is intended to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A product for removing stains comprising a paper mitt having a firstand a second side, each side having an extended area, and an openingbetween said first and second sides suitable for receiving a hand, aplurality of microcapsules containing a solvent for the stain disposedon said first side, and a chalky adsorbent material disposed on saidsecond side.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the chalky adsorbent material containsan enzyme.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the said second side includes amembrane attached thereto for holding said chalky absorbent materialbetween said membrane and said second side.

4. A method for removing stains comprising aerosol spraying said stainwith a solvent for mobilizing said stain and threeafter aerosol sprayinga chalky adsorbent material onto said solvent wetted stain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,164,146 6/1939 Reuss et al.252-89 2,343,136 2/1944 Dobson et al. 252-89 2,980,941 4/1961 Miller15104.93 3,472,675 10/1969 Gordon et .al. 15104.93 3,161,460 12/1964Huber 8142 FOREIGN PATENTS 456,281 10/ 1936 Great Britain 252-9l1,155,070 7/1956 France 134-26 OTHER REFERENCES Radlett, et al.:Spotting National Inst. of Dry Cleaning (1956), pp. 94, 97, 98, 99.

LEON D. ROSDOL, Primary Examiner W. E. SCHULZ, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

8142; l5104.93; l34-26; 252-DIG 12

